This blog post is about three different restaurants in Boulder. The Bohemian Biergarten, Bramble and Hare, and The Bitter Bar.

The Bohemian Biergarten:

The Bohemian Biergarten was established in 2013 and near the beginning of this month turned one! In that short period of time it has become a popular spot for people of all ages to pop in and have a liter or two of beer and a bite to eat. The interior is meant to resemble biergartens from the 1900s. There are long wooden tables with bench seats that are meant to be shared with other patrons, black and white drinking photos from what appears to be from the 1920’s, the czech flag dangling from one wall, and a whole host of neat paintings along the walls. The whole place makes you feel as if you’ve left the Boulder bubble and have entered into a different era and country. I love it! The back room has many more tables, the grill, a back bar, and a stage. Tons of events are held at the Biergarten throughout the week. From comedy shows, to wine pairings, to dance offs. They truly keep things from getting boring. Check out their Facebook page for all current happenings.

The beer list contains mainly Czech, German, and Polish beers. Considering the name Bohemian Biergarten, where Bohemia is a region in the Western Czech Republic, it makes sense that most beers on tap are Czech. Also many of the waiter and bartenders are Czech which is awesome. They all have fantastic accents and speak impeccable English. The pretzels here are fantastic. They come out piping hot and each of the wooden bench tables have a tray of one ketchup and three different spicy mustards to try from. The mustard is delicious and will open up your sinuses for sure. I have also tried their sausages which are good. They have a full service food menu with daily specials, salads, small plates, snacks, etc. to choose from. If you are just looking for a quick snack with some beer I recommend going in and ordering a half liter with a sausage or pretzel for $10. I think this special may only happen during certain hours, I got it at 5pm on a weekday. I looked for more information on their website to no avail. Next time I go in I will write it down and add it on here. If you haven’t had the pleasure of going here yet, check them out. Prost!

Bramble and Hare:

This quaint restaurant is located on 13th and Pearl, very close to the biergarten. Bramble follows a farm to table concept similar to their sister restaurant, The Black Cat, which is situated right next door. All of the meat and produce served here are locally grown and raised. The menu is handcrafted daily to reflect what is being harvested on the farm each season. The food although expensive is delicious! I cannot afford to go in here all the time but when I do I go here for happy hour between 5 and 6pm. Their happy hour menu has a short list of small plates to choose from, a couple of beers, a house red and white, and a couple of cocktails each listed at $5. I recommend the mac and cheese or a farm greens salad. If you are looking to deviate from these drink options I HIGHLY recommend asking Griffin the bartender to whip you up a handcrafted cocktail that he thinks you would enjoy. Trust me, he knows what he is doing. Hopefully someday I will have enough money to go here and be able to enjoy a full dinner meal because all of the options sound absolutely wonderful. There is also a piano tucked into the corner so that any passerby can come in and play, which I love. Here is a link to their website for more info. Also check out their Facebook page for daily updates on their farm happenings.

The Bitter Bar:

The last B I am going to review is the Bitter Bar. This place is a cocktail bar. Drinks are the main event and the food is secondary. Yet I would not consider the food second rate. In fact I rather enjoy the contemporary American eats and that is what worries me. One of the original partners of the Bitter Bar James Lee has just bought out the Big Red F Restaurant Group and a revised Bitter Bar is to open on May 1st. One of the changes that will accompany this new ownership is the food. It is unknown how much will change but according to the Daily Camera, “the new Bitter Bar will have pre-made items such as sandwiches, cured meats and desserts” instead of what they have now. I understand that the vision for the Bitter Bar is that it will remain a cocktail bar where no reservations are needed but I am hoping that the food will still be as yummy as it is now. Having fried brussels sprouts, gnocchi, and crispy potatoes as options are all part of the draw for me to the Bitter Bar. Of course I love their Blue Coin Margarita and other cocktails, but I want to be able to enjoy a delicious and nutritious original snack with those drinks. Maybe this new vision will be more affordable and a little less pretentious which could be exactly what Boulder actually needs. And on that note I look forward to going in May and giving y’all an update. Till then. http://www.thebitterbar.com. For pictures and updates go to their Facebook page.